Lens-grinding machine.



i.. G. SIMPSON. Lawsv mmnm MACHINE.

APPLICATIUN FILED MAR. 6. 1917.

Patented July 16, 1918.

UNITED sTATEs PATE LEON G. SIMPSON, F ROCHESTER, NEW.YORK, SSIGNOR T0 BAUSCH & LOMB OPTICAL COMPANY, 0F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

l LENS-GRINDING MacHrNE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

.amputation mea march e, 1917. serial No. 152,516.

'l To all whom it ma concern.'

Be it .known t at I, LEON G. SIMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe, State'of New York, have invented cert-ain new and useful ImprovementsA in LensfGrinding Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the characters of reference marked thereon.

lVhen grinding curved lens surfaces in a machine having a lens carrier spindle arf ranged-axially parallel to the axis of rotation of the grinding lap spindle, the axis of rotation of the lens carrier relatively to the axis of its spindle is more or less oblique according to the strength of the curvature of the grinding lap when the lens carrier spindle is shifted or set to one side ot' the axis of rotation of the grinding lap. This causes excessive wear of the lens carrier end of the spindle and of the opposed lens carrier socket due to the relative angularity ot' the axes of rotation of the spindle and lens carrier, and also may deform the surface being ground owing to the center of pressure of the lens carrier spindle being eccentric to the center of rotation of the surface being ground and the direction of spindle pressure being `inclined to a line normal to the curvaturel of the lap. These disadvantages may be minimized by setting the axis of the lens carrier spindle parallel to a radial line normal to the curvature of the abrading lap at a point on the path of traversal of the axis of the lens carrier across the lap and midway/ between the adjacent and remote limits of the traversing movement of said axis while the lens carrier spindle is operatively related to the lap. i g

This will greatly reduce the relative angular-ity of the rotative axis of the lens carrier spindle and the axis of rotation of the lensl carrier, and said disadvantages may be further minimized by so supporting the spindle that its movements toward and away riers axis of rotation, all the components of pressure being either normal to the surface embraced, or balanced by slmilar compoaxiseothe lens carrier spindle will extend in the direction of the resultant pressure.

It is one object of this invention to provide a lens grinding machine, which in operation obviates or minimizes the above named disadvantages.

" Another object is to provide a machinetween the lens carrier and the lens carrier- 80 Another object is to provide a rotatable' socket.

lens carrier spindle to which may be readily attached or in which may readily be adjusted, any one ot' a number of interchange able universal' driving members adapted to cooperate with the socket of the lens carrier.

' nents having an opposite direction yand the Another object of the invention is to provide means for quickly and independently adjusting the rotatable lens carrier spindle endwise or axially in its supporting arm.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for automatically holding the lens carrier in engagement with the lap under any desired degree otl pressure during grinding of the lenses, and for automatically holding the lens carrier spindle raised from the lap which is desirable to facilitate removal ot' the carrier for inspection of the lens being ground. or polished or for substitution of other grinding implements.

Still another object is to provide a machine that is readily convertible trom a machine especially adapted for grinding astigmatic lenses to a machine equally well adapted for grinding spherical lenses or vice versa, at the will ofthe operator. A

In the drawings: Figure 1 1s a vertical sectional slde elevatlon of the improved lens grindingmaehine as arranged for automatically grinding astigmatic lenses; Fig. 2 1s a .side elevation of the detachable astigmatic rlens grinding arm. Fig. 3 1s a side View of the detachable spherical lens 'grinding arm. Figsifdand 51ers rear elevations of the astigmatic lens grinding arm, as seen from the right hand'ot Fig. 2, adjusted in two dit ferentrelative positions. Fig. 6 is a front sectional elevation in theplane of the lens carrierspindle, of the spherical lens grind-- ing arm shown in lig. 3, and the supporting yoke yadapted to both ygrinding arms, the means for j nessing the lens earrier toward the lap ,and -for .holding the arm elevated 'being omitted. Fig. lis a rear elevation of the sleeve which carries vthe arm yoke and arm. llig. 3 is an enlarged detail vertical movable along a spline in the shaft and frictionally rotates at any desiredspeed a wheel 5 which is fast on a vertical spindle 6 journaled in bearings 7 on the frame and having avtapering upper end'wnich carries the removable grinding shell or lap 8. A sprocket wheel` 9 xed to the spindle 6 operates a silent chain 1Q thereby transmitting power to a sprocket wheel 11w keyed to the lower end of a vertical countershaft 12 journaled l in a post 13 fixed at its flange to the Aframe 1. rlhe shaft 12 has a lia-nge 1+i, bearing on the top of the post 1 3. rthe shaft 12 is provided at its upper end with a concentric splined bore the spline or" which is engaged by/keys 15 set in a. sprocket spindle 16 fitting detachably in the bore oit' shaft 12,

' by which it is driven to rotate the lens carrier above the lap by means ot' interposed driving gearing hereinafter describeda The lens carrier spindle generally marked 17, is specially formed with a sleeve 18, journaledvin the outer end of a preferably hollow pivoted arm 19, and adraw rod 20 is adjustable in the sleeve and has at its lower end ay thread 21 screwing into the upwardly tapering-shank of the renewable lens carrier ror polished on the "lap 8.

coupling portion 22 ot' the spindle which is shown Jformed with an `open lateral slot receiving a pin 23 fixed across atop socket of a lens or work carrier 2st, to provide a separable universal joint between the spindle and the'lens carrier. To this carrier 24 is cemented a lensblank 25 to be ground rlhe sleeve 18 lixedly carries a disk scale 26 into a tapered recessA of which the tapering shank of the spindle coupling is tightly drawn as the threaded ,rod 2O is manually turned by`n1anipulating its head 27. The graduations of the spindle scale 26 are readable relatively to an. index linger 28 projecting laterally from the detachable end coupling 22 of the spindle. After loosening the rod'i2() atfits thread 21 the spindle coupling 22 and its index 28 may be turned relatively to the scale 26 and be reset as desiredby again tightly screwing the rod into the coupling. i This construction also allows ready renewal of a worn coupling portion 22 of the spindle. All the parts 18, 20, 22, 26, 28, thus rotate in unison, and the lap spindle 6 and the lens carrier spindle 17 rotate at the same speed and in the same direction.

rEhe lap spindle (3 and the lenscarrier spindle 17 maybe relatively arrangedfin any manner adapting them to be set to rotate the two spindles in relatively inclined planes, and to this end the rotative axis of either spindle may be. inclined relatively to the rotative axis of the other spindle. It now is preferred to hold the lap spindle 6 for rotation with its axis in a vertical )lane yand to adapt the lens carrier spindle 1 forV adjustment to set its axisobliquelyvin any ydesired plane inclined to either the right or the lens carrier spindle while permitting` its vertical movement away from the lap 8, the arm 19 is t-runnioned onthe trunnion studs 29 in a yoke 30 carried by a sleeve 31 fitted for vertical adjustment either directly on the post 13, or on a sleeve 32 journaled on this post. The trunnion axis about which the arm 19 is vertically movable intersects at right angles the axis of the shaft 16 which is coincident with the axis about which the arm swings laterally, that is, the axis of the post 13, and is also the axis about which the universal angle gear within the arm 19 rotetes. A clamping screw 33 passing through a curved slot 84 lnthe yoke 30 secures this yoke and the arm 19 at any desired oblique adjustment.

In order that the angle" gearing between the shaft 16 and the sprocket 52. may be able to rotate freely when the arm is tilted laterally in a plane intersecting the trunnion axis and the axis of the shaft 16, it is necessary that the trunnion axis be tilted about an axis passing through the intersection of the trunnion axis with the shaft 16 and therefore lthe yoke is constrained to be adjustable about an axis lwhich we will term an axis of lateral tilt of the arm 19, which passes through this intersection. and extends Y at yonce. .perpendicular to both lthe axis of the sha-ft 16 and the trunnion axisf, This constrainment is elected by providing an vfrom which the arcuate segment 36 .pro-

trudes, which coperates with the adjacent face of the yoke 30 to hold the trunnion axis at all times'in a plane passingthrough the axis of the shaft 16, the plane coperating surfaces of the yoke 30 and the sleeve 31 being held in contact and these two members being clamped together when desired by a clamping screw 33 passing through the ar- 'cuate slot 34 and engaging with the threaded hole 37 in the arcuate segment 36'.

As shown the sleeve 31 is detachably secured to the sleeve 32 by a set sc'rew 38 entering a verticalslot 39 in the side wall of the sleeve y32, thus. causing the sleeve 31 to oscillate horizontally with the sleeve 32 as the latter may be oscillated by an eccentric throwcrank mechanism 40 of any approved ty'p'e and as shown comprising an eccentrically adjustable crank pin 41 fixed to a plate rotated by a stub shaft journaled in the -frame 1 and carrying a gear wheel 42 engaged by a gear wheel 43 rotated by the countershaft 12. The crank pinl `41 is coupled by a screw 44 to a lug xed toa split ring clamp 45 surrounding the sleeve 32 and having a clamping screw 46 for at will tightening the clamp on the sleeve 32 to at times laterally oscillate it and the sleeve 31 and the connected pivotedv and trunnioned arm 19, to any extent determined by the eccentric adjustment of th crank pin 41.

Any approved universally acting driving gearing may be used on the detachable arm 19 which will assure rotation of the lens carrier spindle 17 from the countershaft 12 and spindle 16' at level, or laterally oblique7 or upwardly inclined positionsof thearm. One example of such gearing is sufiiciently shown in F igv 1, wherein a universal joint comprising a ball 47 pinned lto the spindle 16 has a circumferential groove 48 receiving a' key 49 swiveledv to sprocket wheel 5() from which a driving chain v51 passes to a sprocket wheel 52 having a key tting a spline in the lens carrier spindle sleeve 18. An idler 53 maintains desirable tension of the driving chain 51, and the arm 19 may have a front handle 54 for manually elevating or depressing it on its trunnions 29. When the arm 19 is adjusted obliquely yto either the right ory left hand, or is elevated or depressed on its trunnions29, the above named "universal joint accommodates itself to the arm movements as the sprocket wheel 50 rocks on the ball 47 and the swivel pin of the key 49 turns in its seat in the wheel 50, and as the key slips around more or less in vthe .ball groove 48 which may extend but partly around the ball instead of entirely around it as Shown Vin Fig. l of the drawings. y

It is desirable to provide for independent bodily vertical adjustment of the lens carrier spindle 17 in the arm 19, to accommodate the abovel named vertical adjustment of the arm and its supporting sleeve 3l on the sleeve 32. To do this in a preferred manner the front to portion of the arm 19 is circumferentia ly grooved and shouldered in the plane of the spindle 17 to accommodate a thrust collar 55, split diametrically into twov f'halves, and having its upper part formed 1nto an internally projecting annular'tongue 56 fitting loosely between the walls of said groove which is formed beneath the fiange 58 on the arm 19 as shown in Figs. 1 and 8. The periphery of the tongue 56 of the split collar is externally screw threaded and its two halves are held together intact, after in sertion in the groove, by the collar 57 which is internally threaded to lit the 4thread of the split collar and raised to overlie the flange 58 formed on the arm 19. When the collar 57 is screwed down tightly' upon the split collar 55 both collars are held against vertical movement but will turn freely on the arm 19 while the lens carrier 17 rotates in the arm. To the collar 57 is pivoted o ne end of a link 59 the other end of which is pivoted to a plate clamp 60 having a sharp edged slot or opening somewhat larger than the diameter of the lens carrier'sleeve 1.8. In a recess of the collar 57 is held an expandV ing sprin 61 which normally presses the clamp` 60 into gripping engagement with the sleeve 18. When the clamp is depressed it will release the sleeve 18 and permit its quick manual movement in the arm 19 to hold the lens carrier spindle 17 at any desired ver tical adjustment thereon.

Special automatic Ymeans are provided for pressing the lens to the grinding lap during automatic grinding of lenses when using either the arm 19 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or when using the arm 62 shown in Fig. 3. The same means which automatically presses the lens to the lap are also available to hold either grinding arm tilted upward for keepingv the lens carrier spindle clear above the lap to`facilitate replacement or substitution of the work. Now referring more particularly to the automatic machine shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that an elbow lever 63 is fulcrumed on a rod 64 shown held by screws 65 in the upper ends of the opposite limbs of the yoke 30.

The upper longer limb of the lever 6.3 is connected by means of a` yieldingly extensible telescoping thrust rod to a lug on the upper shoulder of the fork of the rod 67 and at the,v other end against the. thrust collar 71 which is threaded on the screw threaded tubular shank of the rod 67 in order that it, the collar, may be run along this' shank to increase .or decrease the pressure effected by the spring 70. The fork 67 of the thrust rod preferably hinged to the upper longer limb of the lever 63 through the pin 66 and thcend 68 of the yielding extensible thrust rod is hinged by the pin 69 to an eye formed in the lug on the front upper .end of the arni 19. The lfunction of this thrust. rod. the pressure of which is adjustable, is to urge the aim-do\'vnwaid when the arm is in the position shown in Fig. 1 and thus create a grinding pressure between the lens beingground and Aits lap and when the arin is raised as shown in Fig. 2, to hold the locking li-iikage in Athe locked position.

rlhe lower shorter linil) of the lever 63 is pivoted to and between one end of each of two toggle links 72 the other ends of which are pivoted to lugs on t-lie rear end of the arm 19 beliindits trunnions 29. The fulcrum rod 6l of lever 63 preferably passes `sleeve 32. l

long front tubular extension and a shorter through long bosses 73 forming lateral extensions of the lever as more clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3 and 6 of the drawings, it will be seen that the spherical lens grinding arm 62 isI fitted in a headblock 71 which is trunnioned for vertical oscillation on studs 29 entering opposite limbsof an obliquely adjustable yoke 30 held by a clamping screw 33 to a sleeve 31 which is adapted to be slipped over the above named sleeve 32 to which it may be clamped at any desired vertical adjustment by a screw 38 entering the slot 39 of The trunnioned head 74 has a rear tubular extension 76 through which extensions the arm 62 passes loosely and these parts 74, 75, 76, may be tightly and non-rotatably clamped to the arm 62 by a set screw 77 shown threaded into the head extension 75 and entering a lengthwise spline 78 in the arm. A spindle block 79ngf`xedly carrying a spindle 8O adapted to the socket of a lens carrier, s held non-rotatably upon the arm 62 by a set-screw 81 entering the arm spline 79. `The spindle 80 may be vertically adjustedrin the block 78 and both block and spindle may be adjusted and locked at anydesired position on the arm 62, which itself is adjustable endwise in the trunnioned block 74 and its ektensionsl 7 5, 7 6.

lobtain proper 4points of attachment for the lever, extensible thrust rod, spring and tog-` gleconnections marked 63 to 72 and which are substantially similar in structure and operation to like numbered parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. After loosening the screw 33 the lens grinding arm 62 with its supporting block 74 and yoke 30, the connections 63 to 72 and the spindle 80, may together be laterally adjusted obliquely on the yoke support 31 to which said adjusted parts may again be locked byvthe screw 33, to set the lens carrier spindle 80 at any desired angular relation to have the line ol" pressure of the spindle be normal to an element of the abrading surface, that is,

normal to aline tangent to soine selected point of the abradiiig surface of an opposed grinding lap, substantially as with the obliquely set arm 19 and its spindle shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.V

ln View of the above detailed description of this machine a briefsummary of its adjustinents during various lens grinding operations will sutlice. First considering' the machine as adjusted in Fig. 1 for automatically grinding and polishing astigmatieA lenses, the arm 19 and its supporting yoke 30 are fastened to the sleeve 31 by the bolt 33 at desired oblique adjustment, as shown for example in Fig. 5, Asaid sleeve 31 also being adjusted on the sleeve 32 at proper height and locked by the set screw 33. lVhile the arm 19 is elevated as shown in the lens carrier spindle rod 20 maybe loosened in the sleeve 18, by manually turning the rod head 27, and the spindle coupling 22 now may be turned in the scalev 26 for properly setting or resetting the conpling index 28 to the scale, and the rod 20 then is reversely turned to draw the tapering shank of the coupling 22 tightly into the scale 26, and the sleeve18 may be adof the arm 19. After the lens carrier 24 is adjusted to the spindle coupling 22, the arm- 19 is lowered to operative posit/ion shown in Fig. l and the machine is started and the arm 19 is then'automatically pressed downward by the springf7 01 to hold the `lens 25 that. is mounted on the now rotating and laterally oscillating carrier 24 to the rotatingV lap 8 with any necessary degree of pressure determined by the adjustment'of the thrust collar 71 along the screw threaded shank of the thrust rod member 68, and while the lever 63 and rod 67 are locked against rearward movement by the upwardly inclined I 17 in unison with the grinding lap 8, the

arm 19- and the lens carrier are laterally oscillated about the post 13 to an extent determined by the degree of eccentric adjustment of the Wrist 41 of the throw crank mechanism l,40. -Although L movement between the lens being ground andthe lap 8is thus produced the correspending axes of the lens and lap are al ways kept parallel to one'another and thus any-lens having two dissimilar meridians may beground with the machine set up as shown in Fig. 1.

Any time during the lens grinding process the arm 19, with its continuously ruiming universal driving gearing' may be manually tilted upward on the trunnions 29 to the position shown in Fig. 2, to allow removal and inspection of the lens, or for adjustment of other work on the spindle 17. As the arm 19 thus tilts to upper position tliescrew 68, the rod 67 and the spring 70 throw the lever 63-rearward on its fulcrum 64, thereby swinging the toggle links 72 to the forwardly inclined position of Fig. 2where the links are stopped by striking the adjacent portion of the arm 19, when they resist further movement of the lever 63, and the pressure of the spring 70 now is availed of to assist in holding the parts 63, 72 thus adjusted to automatically lock the arm 19 raised until after it is next manually lowered to press a lens on the applied carrier 24 to the grinding-lap 8, to be automatically held thereto by the spring 70, as hereinabove described.

To convert the wholly automatic astigmatic lens grinding machine to one adapted for grindin, 1f spherical lenses and` employing a manually operative arm 62 shown in Fig. 3, it is only necessary to loosen or remove the set screw holding the sleeve 31 vto the sleeve 32 and lift off the sleeve 31 while a separable member of the driving mechanism interposed between the lap spindle 6 and the lensl carrier spindle 17, and here shown as the spindle 16, withdraws from its co-v acting member here shown as the spindle 12. The duplicate sleeve 31 supporting the arm 62 will now be placed upon the sleeve post.

32, and be fastened thereto vby a 'set screw 38 entering its groove 39, thus providing for bodily verical adjustment of the sleeve 31 and arm 62 to accommodate varying thicknesses of lenses and laps. The lenscarrier being adjusted to the spindle 8O in the block 79, the arm 62 may bc presseddownward manually as the block 74 turns on the trunnions 29, to hold the lens blank to a suitably a differential formed rotating spherical lap substituted to the yoke 30 and is coupled at 66 to the rear end of the rod 67 which carries the compression spring 70 shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3. Fig. 9 and the modification shown therein will undoubtedly make more clear the function and operation of the linkage used in the preferred embodiment of the mechanism used for holding the lens. being ground against the grinding lap and for locking the arm 19 or the arm shown in Fig. 3 in a raised position. The rear' end 83 of the lens carrier arm 19 which is fulcrumed at 29 to the yoke 30 is here formed on a convex curve 84 struck on a radius from the aXis of the arm trunnions 29, and above this curve 84. the arm has a communicating angular stop shoulder 85, said surfaces 84, 85 constitutingl a continuous cam coacting with the rounded lower end of the lever 82. When the lens carrier 19 is manually elevated at its front end on the trunnions 29, the spring thrust on the rod 67 carries the foot of the lever 82 inward upon the inclined surface 85 of the arm thereby holding the arm elevated as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, and by simply depressing the arm against the yielding resistance offered by the foot of the lever while on the cam surface 85, the lever rides from the surface 85 on to the curved cam surface 84 and the arm now may freely move vertically at its front end thus permitting the spring 70, acting between the upper end of the lever 82 and the front end of the lens carrier arm, to hold the lens to be ground or polished against the abrading I 30 would be attached directly to the other sleeve 32 that is journaled directly around the post bearing-13. Furthermore, the driving gearing interposed between the lap spindie 6 and the lens carrier spindle 1.7, may be variously formed and arranged, it being desirable however, that there be in said interposed gearing a member readilv separable from and readjustable to its immediately coacting member or members to allow quick and convenient removal o t' they astigmatic lens grinding arm 19 having a rotating lens carrier spindle and driving mechanism therefor from a post or support upon which another support` carrying a' spherical'lens grinding arm having a ixed lens carrier spindle 80 may be substituted. A

Having thus described 1nymvention,\vhat l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is;

1. In a lens grinding machine, the Combination of a rotatable 'spindle carrying a curved surface abrading lap, an arm overhanging the lap, a lens carrier spindle carried by the overhanging portion of the arm and having an end opposed tothe lap surf face, a support for the arm, means for constraining the lens carrier spindle to cause it when moved laterally to traverse the surface of the lap, an. adjustment for tilting the lens carrierspindle in the. plane of its traversal to set its axis'normal to an eccentric element of the curvature of the lap surface lying in the path of the lens carrier spindle7s traversal thereof, means for constraining the longitudinal movement of said lens carrier spindle to cause it to move axially in all of its settings whereby said lens carrier spindle may be normally incident upon any element of the curvature of the lap surface lying in the path of traversal of the lens carrier spindle to Which element the axis of the spindle has been perpendicularly set, and means for applying the abrading pressure through the lens carrier spindle in the direction of its longitudinal axis.

2. In a lens grinding machine, the combi.- nation of a rotatable spindle carrying a curved surface abrading lap, an arm overhanging the lap, a lens carrier spindle carried by the overhanging portion of the arm with one of its ends opposed to the lap surface, said lens' carrier spindle being' connectedy to the lap spindle to be rotatable therewith at the same spee'd and in the same direction, a support for the arm, means for constraining the lens carrier spindle to cause it when moved laterally to traverse the sur face of the lap, an adjustment for tilting the lens carrier spindle in the plane o-its traversal to set its axis normal to an eccentric element of the curvature of the lap surface lying in the path of the llens carrier spindles traversal thereof, means for constraining the longitudinal movement of said lens carrier' spindle to cause it to move axially 'in all of its settings whereby said lens carrier spindle may be normally incident upon any element of the curvature of the lap surface lying in 'the path of traversal of the lens carrier terasse 4. A lens .grinding machine comprising a.

frame having a lap spindle journaled therein, a vertical post4 on the frame, a support journaled on the post, a yoke having a pair of trunnions, attached to the support to be adjustable about an axis extending perpen- I dicularly to the axis ofthe. trunnions, an arm pivoted at one end-on said trunnions to be movable at its free end towardand away from the a-brading surface of the lap, and

a lens carrier spindle mounted in the free' end of the arm. y

5. ln a lens grinding macliine,lthe coinbination with a frame, a lap receivingspindle rotatable therein, a post on the frame, a

countershaft rotative in the post, a. sleeve" axially movable on said. post, ayoke having a pair of trunnions, attached to thesleeve to he adjustable about an axis extending perpendicularly to the axis oi the trunnions and the axis of the post, an arm pivoted at one.

end on the trunnions to be movable at its free end toward and away from the abrad ing surface of the lap, a lens carrier spindlev rotatable in the free end olf 'the arm, a clamping device on the sleeve, means for oscil-V lating the sleeve through the clamping` device, for laterally' oscillating the arm and` the lens carrier7 anda universal angle driving gearing on the arm aecuated by said countersha'ft for rotating the lens carrier at any oblique or vertical adjustment of the arm.

6. ln a lens grinding maehindthe combination with a supporting arm and a longitudinally adjustable rotataole lens carrier spindle in the arm, of a vertically immovable thrust bearing rotatably mounted on the arm, and a clamping device held to said thrust bearing and adapted to locli the spindle to said thrust bearing in various adjusted positions relatively to the arm While permitting rotation together of the thrust bearing, the clamp and the spindle.

7. ln a lens grinding machine, the combithrust bearing comprising shouldered collars rotatable upon shouldered portions of the' arm, and a clamping device held to said thrust bearing and 'adapted tov lock the spindle to said thrust bearing in various adjusted positions relatively o the arm While imams,

permittin permit the free passage of the spindle there'-A through and which when tilted relatively to the spindle grips the sides of the spindle, means normally tilting the clamp plate whereby the thrust collarl is adjustably locked to the spindle, and a plurality of opposed bearing surfaces on the thrust collar and the adjacent portion of the arm cooperating to hold the thrust collar axially immovable relatively thereto.

9. In a lens grinding machine, the combination with an abrading lap,.a lens carrier spindle. and an arm carrying said spindle at one end and pivoted at the other end to permit of the lens carrier being moved toward and away from the abrading lap, of an abutment stationaryin the plane ot' movement of the arm toward and away from the lap, a second abutment mounted on the free end of the arm, and a laterally constrained expansible spring interposed between the two abutments and exerting a thrust therebe tween to urge the lens carrier spindle toward the abrading lap.

10.v In a lens grinding machine., the vcombination with an abrading lap and a. lens carrier arm fulcrumed intermediate its ends about a pivotal. axis so as to be movable at its front end toward ,and away from the grinding lap, of a 'rocking lever fulcrumed .intermediate its ends about a pivotal axis fixed relatively to and spaced laterally from the pivotal axis of the arm, and a spring interposed between the front of the lens carrier arm and that end of the rocking lever opposite the end coacting with the 'lens carrier arm to exert a thrust between them, the rear end of the lens carrier arm being adapted to coact. with the adjacentV end of the rocking lever toresist the movement of the lever by the spring, and said adjacent end of the rocking lever being adapt- 'ed toyieldingly coact under pressure of the spring with the adjacent rear end of the arm to hold the front end of the arm elevated while permitting' the free pivotal movement of the arm when it is lowered. l

11. In a lens grinding machine, the combination with an abrading lap and a lens carrier arm fulcrumed intern'iediat'e its ends about a pivotal axis so as to be movable-at its front end toward and awa-y from the grinding lap, of a rocking lever fulcriirned intermediate its ends about a pivotal axis fixed relatively to and spaced laterally frena the pivotal axis of the arm, a link connecting the rear end of the lens carrier arm with that end of said lever that is situated on the same side of a plane passing through the .fulcrum axes, an abutment for limiting the swinging movement ofthe link toward the lens carrier arm, and a laterally constrained spring interposed between the front end .of the arm and the free end of the rocking lever and exerting a thrust between them.

'12. In a grinding machine, the Combina' tion with a lap, an arm having a, relatively long end adapted to overhang the lap, a support to which the arm is pivoted for vertical movement at its ends and a lens carrier spindle mounted in theforward end of the arm to be operatively related to the lap when the arm is in a lowered position and movable with the arm toward and from the lap, of a rocking lever tulcrumed intermediate its ends to the arm support, a toggle link connection between the end of the arm and the adjacent limb of the rocking lever, and a yielding extensible means interposed between the other limb of said lever and the longer end of the arm to urge the lens carrier spindle toward thelap when the arm is lowered and said spindle is in the' vicinity of the lap, the rocking lever meanwhile beingheld immovable by the buckled toggle link connection; said lever, toggle connection and extensible means operating when the long end of the arm is raised and the link elements of the toggle are extended, to hold the lens carrier spindle elevated.

18. In alens grinding machine, the combination with a support, an arm pivoted thereto for vertical movement at its outer end, a lens carrier spindle on said arm, and a lap opposite the spindle, of a lever .tulcrumed to said support, a toggle link connection between. one limb of said lever and the inner portion of the arm, a rod pivoted to thev other limb of the levens` screw coupled to the outer portionjof the arm and having' a yielding extensible connection with the lever connected rod, and a spring on the screw normally expanding the extensible lrod and screw connection and adapted to hold the lens carrier spindle either toward or away from the lap.

14. In a lens grinding machineythe' combination with a support, an arm'pivoted thereto for vertical movement at its outer end, a lensy carrier spindle on said arm, and a lap opposite the spind'lepof a lever fulcrumed to said support, a toggle link connection between one limb of said lever and thevin'ner portion of the arm, a rod pivoted to the other limb of the lever, a screw coupled to the outer portion of the arm and having a yielding. extensible connection with the lever connected rod, a spring on the screw normally expanding the extensible rod and screw connection, and a collar adjustable on the screw ,J vary the tension of the spring.

15. In a lens grinding machine, the combination with'a support, an arm obliquely adjustable laterally onsaid support, and also trunnioned for Vertical movement atvits outer end, a lens carrier spindle on the arm, and a lap opposite the spindle, of a lever fulcrumed to said support, a toggle link connection between one limb of saidlever and the inner portion of the arm, and a yielding extensible means interposed between the other vlimb of said lever and the outer portion of the arm and automatically movin to press a lens carrier on the spin le toward the lap and to hold said spindle away from the lap at any oblique or vertical adjustment of the arm and while the lever is locked by the toggle connection.

` 16. In a lens grinding machine, the combination lwith a grinding lap, a post ar- .ranged with its axis parallel to the axis of the grinding lap and having an external cylindrical bearing surface concentric with its axis and a counter-shaft journaledto be rotatable within the post, of one or more detachable and interchangeable lens carrier actuating and constraining mechanisms each having a cylindrical bore adapted to slip over the external bearing surface of the post .to journal the support thereon, a pair` of trunnions carried y the support and arranged 'on an axis perpendicular to but lying in the same plane as the axis of the bore in the support, anarm attached to the trunnions at one end and overhanging the lap at its other end, a lens carrier spindle journaled in the lap overhanging end of the arm, a countershaft extension in the trunnioned end of the arm having a pendent end extending ltoward the bore 1n the support, gearing -whereby the lens carrier spindle may be driven by the countershaft extension, a universal angle driving connect-ion between the ypendent portion of the countershaft extension and the gearing arranged at the intersection 4of the support bore and trunnioned axes whereby the pendent portion of the countershaft extension may remain coaxial with said bore and in driving engagement with the lens carrier lspindle 'when the arm is moved about its trunnions, means for autornatically coupling the counter-shaft eX- tension of one of the interchangeable mechanisms to the countershaft as the mechanism the arm y support is slipped overthe post, and means for axially constraining the mechanism support upon the post While permitting its oscillation thereon.

`17. The combination with a lap and a cylindrical post having an external bearing surface, of one or more detachable and interchangeable lens carrier actuating and constraining mechanisms each comprising a sleeve provided with a bore adapted to Yslip over and become journaled uponthe external bearing surface of the postA andhaving a trunnion bracket attached thereto, said trunnion bracket being provided with a pair of trunnions the axis ot' which is arranged in a plane passing through the axis oi the sleeve bore, and being adjustable relatively to the sleeve about an axis simultaneously -1 -or more detachable and interchangeable lens carrier actuating and constraining mechanisms each comprising a support provided with a sleeve adapted to slide over and be clamped to the post surrounding sleeve in various longitudinal positions thereon, an arm attached to the supportvat one end and over-hanging the lap at its other end and a. lens carrier spindle mounted in the lap overhanging end of the arm.

19. lira lens'grinding machine, the combination with a support, of a hollow lens carrier spindle journaled in said support and having a taper at one end of its bore and an adjacent scale, al renewable lens carrier coupling having a tapering shank entering the tapered portion of the spindle bore-and 'carrying an index coacting with said scale, and a rod fitted in the spindle bore and engaging the lens carrier coupling for drawing its tapered shank tightlv into-the taperedportion of the spindle bore after the coupling has been applied to or readjusted on the Spinale. f Laon e. SIMPSON. 

